Morocco

Morocco is a unitary sovereign state located in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is one of the native homelands of the indigenous Berber people.Geographically, Morocco is characterised by a rugged mountainous interior, large tracts of desert and a lengthy coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.

Morocco has a population of over 33.8 million and an area of 446,550 km2. Its capital is Rabat, and the largest city is Casablanca. Other major cities include Marrakesh, Tangier, Salé, Fes and Meknes.

A historically prominent regional power, Morocco has a history of independence not shared by its neighbours. Since the foundation of the first Moroccan state by Idris I in 788, the country has been ruled by a series of independent dynasties, reaching its zenith under the Almoravid dynasty and Almohad dynasty, spanning parts of Iberia and Northwestern Africa.

In 1912, Morocco was divided into French and Spanish protectorates, with an international zone in Tangier and regained its independence in 1956.

Moroccan culture is a blend of Berber, Arab, West African and European influences.